Apparatus for intaglio or the like printing



March 22, 1938. H. WOODHEAD APPARATUS FOR INTAGLIO OR. THE LIKE PRINTINGFiled Dec. 5, 1936 lwuxii i I Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES ATENTOFFICE APPARATUS FOR INTAGLIO OR THE LIKE PRINTING Harper Woodhead,

Blackborough, near Gullompton, England 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for intaglio and otherprinting which is particularly applicable for example, to bank noteprinting.

In intaglio printing it is usual to use a separate plate for the makingof each colour impression on the paper or the like to be printed, but ithas been suggested to use a single plate and apply colour to localizedareas of this from inking pads cut'away according to the particular areato be inked by each of them.

In the process of the present invention, however, a single plate isprovided throughout its surface with a ground colour and colours arethen superimposed on said ground colour on the plate from separateinking pads.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which:-

- Figure l is a plan view of one form of machine.

Figure 2 is a section on the line I--I of Figure 1. Figure 3 is asection on the line II--II of Figure 1 and on the lines III-III, andIV-IV of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a section on the line V-V, of FigureFigure 5 is a section on the line VI-VI, of Fig. ure 1.

The machine comprises a rotary table I having 3 sockets for thereception of printing plates 2 to be inked, which plate may be in theform of a wood block, a stereo, an intaglio or etched plate or any othertype of printing surface.

In the machine shown by way of example, the rotary table I has sixsockets, so that six operations can be performed in sequence in oneoperation on one plate taking place simultaneously with a diiferentoperation on another plate.

At the station I radial to the table l is arranged 40 an ink supplyhopper 3, from which ink is taken up on to an inking roller 4, andtransferred to a rotary inking plate 5. Ink is transferred from theplate 5 to an inking plate 6 by means of a set of rollers l on areciprocating frame, 8, which 45 frame also carries a second set ofinking rollers 9 for transferring ink from the inking plate 6 to theprinting plate 2. This frame 8 may also carry a hinged doctor H! forremoving superfluous ink from the plate 2. At station I, the

50 ink applied to the plate 2 is preferably in the form of a groundcolour, usually a grey, neutral tint, which becomes subservient to tintsor colours subsequently to be applied.

A block, pad, or other intaglio surface. H is 55 disposed at the nextstation II to reciprocate in a plane at right angles to the surface ofthe printing matrix 2 to be inked, which in its rotation on the table,comes to this station. This pad II is inked by a reciprocating set ofrollers l2, taking up a colour from a rotary plate 13 inked from aroller I4 and ink supply l5 similar to the plate 5, roller 4 and inksupply 3 at sta tion I. By this means there is imposed on the matrix orplate 2 completely covered with ground colour, a pattern correspondingto the pattern engraved or otherwise formed on the pad ll. Similararrangements to Figure 3 are disposed n at stations III and IV, for theapplication of a second and third coloured imprint upon the background.It is obvious however, that any number of stations may be provided forproviding any number of superposed colour layers by simi- 15 lar means.Three colour layers superimposed over a ground colour are shown in theaccompanying diagrammatic drawing solely by way of example.

At the station V, of the rotary table I, a sheet 0 or sheets of paper,metal or the like to be printed may be printed from the printing matrixor plate 2 in any desired known manner, and at station VI, the printingplate or matrix 2 may either be interchanged for another or be cleanedin readiness for the commencement of a fresh cycle.

In order to print the sheet of paper or the like at station V, this isfed by grippers H5 at each side which carry it over the rotary table tothe exact position over the engraved plate or printing matrix 2,whereupon a platen descends for the impression to be taken. After theplaten has receded relatively to the table, the grippers l6 returningfrom above draw the paper away from the plate commencing at a partnearest the center of the table in order to counteract the pull oradhesion of the inked plate to the paper.

At station VI the plate may either be cleaned by hand, or automaticallyby brushes or pads I! or both disposed at varying angles.

I declare that what I claim is:-

A printing machine comprising a rotary table,

means to secure a plurality of similar printing plates thereon, inkingmeans operable opposite one point of said rotary table to transfercolour to each plate in turn, doctor means to remove excess colour fromthe plate, a plurality oi ink pads bearing differential patterns anddisposed in spaced relationship angularly around said table, means toapply colour to each of said patterned pads in turn, means to apply eachpatterned pad in turn to each plate in turn, and means to obtain aprinting impression from each plate in turn when it has received thevarious colour impressions.

HARPER WOODHEAD.

